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Batman bin Suparman learns the hard way that crime doesn’t pay

Batman bin Suparman, a Singapore man who became an Internet sensation in 2008 for, well, being named Batman bin Suparman, has — against all odds — turned to a life of crime.

The National reports the 23-year-old Suparman was arrested in August after he was caught on security video sneaking into a store on two separate nights, stealing a total of $500. He ultimately admitted to those crimes and eight other charges, including stealing his brother’s ATM card and making withdrawals of $650, and using heroin.

Prosecutors moved to trial on just three charges, and on Monday Suparman was sentenced to 33 months in jail. According to Channel NewsAsia, it could’ve been a lot worse: Housebreaking charges alone could’ve earned him between two and 14 years.

It turns out “Suparman” is “a very common surname among the Javanese,” with the Su-prefix meaning “good, fortunate” — neither of which seems to apply in the case of our fallen hero. “Batman” means … Batman, as in the DC Comics character; there’s no simple explanation there, apparently. So, yeah, Batman bin Suparman means “Batman, son of Suparman,” which probably won’t carry much weight in a Singapore jail.